Secrets of Time & Ice
by GirlWithNoLife
Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time & the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out. ON HOLD for now.
1. Prologue

_**Secrets of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out._

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Pitch is less threatening and Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (They weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_***~Out with the End, and in with a New Beginning~***_

_Whoever said, "Time is a difficult thing to manage" didn't know the half of it. Despite the many sci-fi and fantasy novels that said otherwise, time was wild, unpredictable and quite petty, which is why it always went faster when others were having fun. Because of this time always had to have its way no matter what the circumstances, making it more dangerous and cruel than all the nightmares that ever existed._

_However there are a few who it is willing to work with, one of these people were Nicolette, or as she was more commonly referred to by mortals, "The 'Nic' of Time." Her job was simply to monitor time and try to keep its mischief as tame as possible, though on occasions she would stretch time slightly to help people correct a mistake they made at the last minute._

_But this is not her story. It simply with her our story begins;_

*8*

It all began on the eve New Year, at the bedside of the old year. Nicolette was sitting by his side for two reasons; the first was that from his faded body the New Year would be born and it was one of her duties to be there to make sure it would be born safely. The second reason was odd and illogical, but she did not like the old Years dying alone. She did not know if this was pity, remorse, or something else because she did not understand "emotion." It was completely beyond her personality to fully understand it, but she tried her hardest.

Her dark golden brown eyes watched the old year carefully as his life slowly started to flow out of him. She remembered him when he was born; his skin had been copper brown, his hair ebony black, and his eyes bright and blue filled with the same thing every child was born with; a promise of new beginnings. Now his eyes were dark and only held the end in them.

Nicolette looked away from them. She remembered how strong he was during his life, troublesome without a doubt, but strong. Now he was fragile, and, for lack of a better word, dying.

Since she could not look him in the eye, Nicolette's gaze drifted to their joined hands. He had asked to hold her hand and she had responded as best she could. She held his hand softly because she knew that otherwise she would break him. Though she supposed it wouldn't matter at this point. Gathering all his strength, the old year opened his mouth and in a weak whisper he asked,

"_What will happen after I die?"_

Nicolette had been waiting for this, for they all asked it. Every year would ask the same and she would respond with the same answer she always did.

"I don't know," she would say. "That's your journey, not mine."

They weren't words of comfort. If anything, it probably made them more afraid than anything, but it was the only answer she had. Just as she said them a third party entered the room. A young, winged lad had appeared. Nicolette knew this figure very well, for she saw him at the beginning and end of every year. His name was unknown even to her, but everything living and otherwise knew him as Death, the Reaper of life.

In the back of her mind, Nicolette heard the count down to the end. It was time.

_10…_

_9…_

_8…_

…_7_

Standing, Nicolette released the old year and said the only thing left to say.

…_6_

_5…_

_4…_

"Goodbye, 2012."

_3…_

_2…_

_1._

Death reached out his hand as he approached the old year and placed a hand on his chest. The old year let out a faint gasp then he died.

The old body began to glow brightly and became a small, white butterfly. Death began to glow as well and he began to grow until he took the shape of a young, beautiful woman. She held the butterfly shape soul close to her pale lips and blew on it. The soul began to glow brighter and swirl until it took the shape of a baby.

When the light had gone, Death set the new born on the bed so Nicolette could look at it. With her job done for the next twelve months, Death nodded in farewell before vanishing as quickly as she came.

With the Reaper gone, Nicolette decided to get on with her work and check out the New Year.

It had taken the form of a girl this time with bright pink skin and cherry cheeks. Nicolette reached out her hand and stroked its bald head in greeting.

"Welcome, 2013." She said. It blinked its big green eyes at her in awe and wonder at the world around her. Not one to waste time in her duties, Nicolette picked her up and began to carry her to the chamber where the Minute Men would care for her until her time ended.

"What will happen this year?" She muttered, not expecting an answer at all. But the baby heard her and spoke.

"Pitch free!" Nicolette froze and looked at the child with wide eyes.

"Pardon?"

"Pitch free! Pitch free again! Ha, ha! Darkness will return to world and chaos will run free! Big fun!" If Nicolette had a heart it would have stopped.

It would appear that this year would be most tricky.

_***~End of Prologue~***_

Death- For this character I used Thanatos as inspiration. For those who don't know, Thanatos is the Greek God of Death (Note: Hades is the God of the Underworld, not death!). He described as a babe in his mother's arms holding a butterfly, but naturally I changed it a bit. I didn't describe him as a skeleton because everyone does that and I wanted to do something new. I didn't get into too much detail because I wanted death to keep its mystery and leave his/her appearance up to the readers.


	2. Jack meets Normally Interesting Person

_**Secrets of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out. _

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Pitch is less threatening and Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (They weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_***~Jack meets Normally Interesting Person~***_

A month before the New Year, Jack let out a slight grunt as he opened his ice blue eyes. He blinked at the sun a few times before letting out a sigh and hitting his head back against the tree he laid in, the irony of everything sinking in. For years Jack had wanted his memories back, but now they haunted him like a ghost. He remembered playing with his sister and friends, the fights they would have because of his pranks, him falling into the ice and seeing his sister's frighten eyes before he vanished into the depths below.

"Anna."

His sister's name was like a stab. He wondered what happened to her. Did she manage to get home okay without him? Did she grow up? Get married and have kids? He wondered so much, but now it was too late to find out. Too late to get his answers. After all she was dead.

He glanced down and saw some toddlers running out of their classroom to play in the snow he had made the night before. Jack let out a long sigh. It was too late to worry now. Besides, he was sure she turned out fine. Anna was always a strong little girl. A bit too serious and stubborn at times, but still strong.

*8*

"Miss Gosse!" A young woman batted her bright grey eyes as she looked down at one of her students.

"Yes, Sophie?"

"Is con't gets my coat bootoned." Katherine giggled before bending down to help the toddler.

"That's why I told you to put your mittens on last." When Sophie was all snug in her coat, she ran out with the other kids and Katherine followed. She flinched slightly when the cold air hit her, but she quickly adjusted as a large smile crossed her dark lips. There was always something about the snow that made her feel happy inside, especially when she was watching her students play.

Katherine Gosse was a young school teacher who watched all the children in the preschool class. This seemed to be the perfect job for her as the children always seemed to flock to her like ducklings, which she enjoyed very much as Katherine loved being around them. Yet, she couldn't help but feel sad as she watch them.

It wasn't that her job displeased her, far from it! It was just that like so many other young women her age, she felt she was destined for more in this world. But like so many others, she didn't know what that destiny was. All she knew was that as much as she loved teaching the children, there was something missing from her life. Something important.

Katherine was pulled from her thoughts though when she saw an odd boy leaning against a tree, watching the children with a caring smile. He was very strange indeed, for the only thing paler than his pink skin was his snow white hair. But the strangest thing had to be that despite the snow on the ground, he wasn't wearing any shoes! Or even a coat! Really, this boy was just trying to catch hypothermia.

"Aren't you cold?" The boy jumped slightly and turned, surprised ice blue orbs meeting her curious silver mist ones. "Are you alright?" The boy looked to his sides as if he couldn't believe she was talking to him.

"You… see me?" Katherine tilted her head slightly as her brows furrowed curiously.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" The she grinned slightly as she decided to tease him slightly. "Surely a handsome young man like you is used to the attention of women. Especially _young_ women." The boy seemed to catch on right away and returned the playful grin.

"Yes, it's true!" he said with a smirk. "Girls can't resist my boyish charms! Or my teeth." Katherine let out a slight giggle as he playfully fluffed his bangs. Then he looked at her in way Katherine couldn't describe. "You… You can seriously see me? How?" Katherine noted that his voice sounded far more mature than he looked. Like he was a young man instead of a young boy. Since she didn't want to believe that he was a pedophile staking out the children, she passed it off as puberty.

"Well, it's not like you blend in," she told him. "Especially in this weather. Seriously, you must be one of those insane daredevils, or simply mad!" He blinked at her, confused before he realized what she meant.

"Oh! Right." He said with a chuckle as he leaned against the tree. "Well, let's just say the cold doesn't affect me like it does others." Katherine tapped her chin as she looked at him disbelievingly.

"_Really?"_ He shrugged, carefree.

"Really." He didn't know how this woman was able to see him, but he did know that she was an adult and would just think he was nuts if he told her he was Jack Frost. Katherine opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by one of her students calling.

"Miss Gosse!" The boy raised an eyebrow at her.

"'Miss Gosse?'" Katherine shifted, slightly embarrassed. She knew she didn't have the coolest last name in the world.

"That's me. If you'll excuse me." She turned away from the boy and walked over to a younger boy who was standing next to snow man.

"Yes, Tommy?"

"You gotta do somethin'!" he cried. Seeing the worry in his eyes, Katherine bent down to his size.

"What's wrong?"

"Mr. Snowman's gots the hots!" the teacher raised an eye brow.

"The… 'hots?'" she repeated, hoping that he wasn't thinking what she was thinking.

"Yeah! When humans get sick, wes calls 'em colds! But Snowmen are suspoised ta be cold! So whens they get sick it means they gots the hots." He explained. Katherine blinked before forcing back a giggle.

"Well, why do you think Mr. Snowman is sick?" she asked.

"Because he's melting!" Katherine regarded the snow man carefully. Even though it was still cold, the sun was out and shining so the snow was starting to melt slightly. Not enough to get rid of all the snow, but enough to make the little boy worry for his snowman. She turned back to the lad and spoke calmly.

"Tommy, I told you that all snowmen melt, right?" she said, trying to word this carefully. "So that they can sink into the ground and become flowers in the spring."

"But he can't melt yet!" the boy whined. "Not before my dad sees him!" Katherine titled her head.

"Your dad?" Tommy nodded.

"Hm-hm! He's comin' home for Chrisymess! And I want 'im to see the snowman I built all by myself." The teacher's eyes sadden slightly, as they always did when someone spoke of their family, but she forced a smile and spoke cheerfully all the same.

"Well then! Maybe Jack Frost will float by and will keep Mr. Snowman cold until your father comes home."

"Really? Can he do that?" Katherine nodded.

"Yup! Remember, I told you that Jack Frost is the one who makes it snow?" She explained. "It's because of him we can make snow angels, snowmen, play snow fight, and even get a snow day once in a while." Tommy looked thoughtful.

"So… if Is ask 'im. He'll help my snowman?"

"Maybe." The boy's eyes gleamed with enthusiasm.

"How do I ask 'im?" he asked. Katherine shifted on the ball of her heels. How would one go about contacting Jack Frost? She honestly never heard of anyone writing him or contacting him in anyway, so what could she tell this little boy?

"You just have to hope that he's close enough to hear your request." Katherine jumped slightly before looking over her shoulder. It would seem that the boy had followed her over and listened in to the conversation. Tommy looked slightly disappointed.

"Really?"

"Yeah. But don't worry, I'm positive he heard ya."

"Really? How?" The white haired young man shrugged.

"Oh, let's just say I know about these things." He said. "Besides, you can always tell that Jack Frost is near when winter nips at your nose." As if on cue, the winter air suddenly picked up and Tommy jumped as he clutched his nose.

"Yipe! Did-did you feel that?!" Tommy asked excitedly as he bounced up and down, making the other two laugh.

"Looks like Jack heard you." Katherine smiled. "I guess you were lucky."

"So… does that mean Jack will help keep Mr. Snowman around? At least until my daddy comes back?" The white haired boy shrugged his shoulders as he smiled gently at the lad.

"I think he can manage." This made Tommy very happy.

"Yay! I know daddy'll really like this Snowman!" Katherine had to grab him by the shoulders to calm him down.

"I'm sure he will," she cooed. "For now, why don't you stop worrying and play with your friends. I'm sure they're going to need you on their team." Tommy nodded.

"Okay!" he ran off leaving the teacher alone with the boy once more.

She stood and looked at him with a soft smile.

"That was kind of you." Jack looked away, red lightly dabbing his pale cheeks.

"I didn't do anything. I just told him the truth." Then he frowned at her, as if trying to place together a long lost memory. She looked so familiar… "Have we met before? You seem familiar." Katherine tilted her head as she placed a thoughtful hand to her face.

"Well, I have a pretty common face," she joked slightly. Then she studied the boy's face. He did stir something in the back of her mind, but she honestly couldn't remember ever seeing him. "I don't think so. And I would remember a boy trying to catch hypothermia." The boy grimaced slightly.

"Right," Katherine noticed him shouldering an odd looking staff that made her stare.

"Where… did you get that?" It took Jack a moment to realize what she was asking about.

"Oh, this?" He held out the staff, allowing her to get a better look at it. "Let's just say that I've had it for a long time." As Katherine stared at the staff, Jack stared at her.

"Are you… absolutely sure we've never met?" he asked. Katherine shook her head as she looked away from the staff.

"Sorry," she shrugged. "I can't say we have." She was forced to look away when one of her students cried out.

"Ow! Miss Gosse!"

"I'm coming!" Katherine turned back to the boy, but he was gone. As if he was never there at all. But there was no time to dwell as her students currently needed her.

Still, there was something odd about that boy.

*8*

Jack stared curiously after the woman as he hid behind a statue. There was something strange about her, never mind the fact that she was an adult that could see him, there was just something odd. Something that drew Jack towards her. Not romantically, but just as powerful.

'_Who are you?'_ he silently asked her as she tended to a child who had slipped on the ice he had recently made.

"Jack! Jack!" Jack looked down and saw Sophie jumping excitedly when she saw him. He smiled gently at her.

"Hey, Sophie!" he greeted. "How're you doing?"

"Good! Miss Gosse taught us to make a Santa plate, a raindeer ornament wiff a light bub! And a pom-pom snow flake, and a-" Jack laughed as he ruffled her already messy hair.

"That sounds fun," he said. He glanced at the teacher curiously. "Hey Sophie; what else can you tell me about your teacher?" Sophie tilted her head.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… Well, what kind of person is she?" Sophie thought for a moment.

"Well, she's reeweelly pretty. And reeweelly nice. Ooh! Ooh! And she always tells da best stwories!" she said. "She told us about Santa when he was a bandit! And Bunny when he lived ats the centor of the earth and-!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Jack interrupted eyes wide with surprise. "She told you that North—Santa was a bandit?" No one knew that. Everyone just assumed that he was just a toy marker or a traveling priest.

Sophie nodded.

"Uh-huh! She tells da best tales! You should visit during stwory time." Jack slowly nodded.

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I'll do that next time." Sophie ran off to rejoin her friends and Jack's gaze turned back to the teacher. There was defiantly more to her than what met the eye.

Jack watched her didn't stop watching her until the bell rang and 'Miss Gosse' as she called herself, led the toddlers back into the school.

_***~End of Chapter 2~***_

If you've read the books, you probably already know who Miss Gosse is, if not don't worry. I'll try to explain everything as the story goes on.

And before you all state otherwise, Pippa is NOT the name of Jack's sister. Pippa is one of Jamie's friends. I named her Anna, short for Anastasia, why? If you study Christmas Mythology, you may get an idea, but for now just keep reading. I promise there will be some unexpected surprises ahead. In the meantime, review please!


	3. North remembers a Broken Promise

_**Secrects of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out._

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (they weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_Also, I feel I should mention that while at first I didn't think Pitch was very threatening, I re-watched and realized that they're on the same level, but each had a different motivation and let's just say I liked book Pitch's motivation better than the movie's, though they're on the same level. I just forgot to change the summary for the note._

_***~North remembers a Broken Promise~***_

At the North Pole, everything was basically normal, in a chaotic sense. The elves were doing their best in "making" toys, and the yetis were "assisting" them and making sure that the toys would be ready for Christmas that year, which was only thirty days away.

There was one very odd thing though; and that thing was St. Nick himself or North as he preferred. Usually he would be bent over a new project or a toy to entertain himself, but today was different. Today he was not building interesting trinkets to make the glimmer in his wide eyes twinkle, or even snacking on the wondrous sweets that put the large grin on his rosy cheeks. Instead, he was in his library, staring longing at a small paper box covered with minute drawings and plans. North stared at it a few minutes more before he closed his big blue eyes and whispering,

"I believe._ I believe_."

After this, the origami box unfolded into what seemed to be a vast magical city. If one were to look closely enough, one might say that it resembled the North Pole a bit. This used to a dream that North wanted more than anything to make true, and he was determined to do so one day. It was plans to build centers of magic and learning; a place where all those with kind hearts and inquiring minds would be welcomed and encouraged. A place where children could always be safe and protected and grow to become their finest selves. (1)

He smiled slightly, but it had vanished as quickly as it had come.

These plans were going to be what he and the other guardians were going to use to usher the world into a golden age. Sadly though, the universe seemed to have other plans and his hopes remained just dream.

But his lost hopes were not the reason he pulled this item out though. Actually, North pulled this out because the night before he had a dream about a memory from long ago, from when he and his friends still lived in Santoff Claussen.

*8*

"North!"

North looked up from his books, slightly surprised at the arrival.

"Katherine? What are you doing here?" Back then he was a young man, old enough to have a slight beard, but not old enough for it to be white. Katherine was just a little girl of twelve, though some would think she was older with the way she had of taking care of everyone.

North frowned suspiciously as she approached.

It wasn't that her presence was unwelcome, far from it. It was simply that ever since Katherine had acquired her giant goose, she had taken to sleeping in the tree house with it. Plus, it was quite late and very unusual for her to be awake. At the very least, she would be with Nightlight. Then again he was most likely with Sandy helping him make sure Pitch wasn't around, or "talking" in their special way.

North's eyes widen slightly as startling thought crossed his mind.

"Did… Did you have another nightmare?" His fears were answered when she looked away, her bright gray eyes clouded with a mix of emotions. North set his trinket down and quickly walked over to his friend to comfort her.

Ever since they had rescued her from Pitch, she had been having horrid dreams. Now, most adults would shrug off a child's nightmare as nothing important, but when your enemy was the King of Nightmares, that luxury was lost. Also, as of late Katherine's dreams were violent and cruel, dark images that made even the former bandit king cringe. They were certainly not ones a child should have.

North wrapped her in his arms in a fatherly way and she returned the gesture.

"It was a woman this time," she said slowly. "She was forced to marry a king, but then she fell in love with a poet and musician, who were both killed by him! Then a duke killed him and…! The people turned on her and locked her up! She escaped and tried to take her throne back (2), but… oh, god North! There was so blood!" She buried her face into North's chest, shaking like a rabbit. North tightened his grip around her as he whispered words of comfort in her ear. All the while, thoughts of anger and helplessness swirled around inside him. He hated that she had to go through this every night. He hated that Pitch did this to her when she had saved him! He hated that he wasn't there to save her when all this was happened to her.

"It's okay, Katherine." He said as gently as he could. He bent down to her eye level. "It was just a dream." The girl shifted slightly.

"It didn't_ feel_ like a dream." She mumbled.

"But it was." North assured her. "Katherine, you shouldn't worry about it. Nightlight, Ombric, Bunnymund, Toothania, Sandy, and I are never going to let anything bad happen to you." He lifted her chin to look at him. "Never again. I'm going to be here for you this time."

She smiled gently at him. He could tell that her dream still bothered her, but she felt a little better.

"Promise?"

"I promise. Nothing bad will _ever _happen to you again. Not while there's a single breath in his body."

*8*

The modern day North that everyone had come to know through legends, let out a sorrowful sigh. Katherine was his very first friend. It only because she believed in him that he was able to accomplish everything he did. His fingers traced the origami. This was her dream. A dream he swore he would make true someday.

Her laugh danced across his memories.

"_North!"_

North's eyes clenched shut as his heart gave a painful throb and a single blue tear rolled down his face.

He missed her. He missed her so much that he would give up everything he had ever accomplished in his life just to see her soft smile again. To see those silver eyes gaze up at him with such wonder and belief that made him want to give that wonder to others. To just see her again.

'_Katherine…'_ He looked at the plans sadly. _'I wonder where you are.'_

He was pulled out of his thoughts when one of the Yeti's ran in. He started grunting so fast though that North couldn't understand him to save his life. He closed the origami before lifting a hand to rub his eyes and turning to the yeti.

"How many times do I have to tell you to knock?" he asked with slight annoyance. It was kinda funny once North thought about it; at one point the yetis were all monk warriors at Lunar Lamadary, now they were his toy makers! But what was even more ridiculous was that his elves used to be his team of bandits.

"Clam down and say what you have to say." After a few grunts, North's eyes widen.

"_What?"_

_***End of Chapter 3***_

1- In book 3 North suggested making this, but because of Pitch he never got to fulfill that dream.

2- This reefers to the old nursery Rhyme, "Mary, Quite Contrary" which spoke of Queen Mary of Scotland.


	4. Father Time

_**Secrets of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out._

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (They weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_Special thanks to Serori who commented on DeviantArt and Jokermask18 who reviewed on . I love you both! X3_

_***~Father Time~***_

Nicolette quickened her pace as she walked through the labyrinth that was the halls of time. After finishing her duties with the New Year, she had dropped her off with the Minute men and now she was, as they said in the Sands of Time, ticking as she made her way to Father Time.

To be put in terms of simplicity, 'ticking' was what they said when millions of thoughts, ideas, and words, numbers, and everything else passes through a mind every second without stop while their body does clockwork like movement, which she was doing with her hands at her sides. And right now, Nicolette was ticking so fast even time would tell her to calm down if it had a voice.

She hadn't realized how much "time" had passed, but now that the release was imminent, she had to do something, right? After all, it was her responsibility after what she had done was it not.

"_Your first and only duty is to serve time."_ A voice in her memory sternly reminded her. And it was correct. After all, she was a Nick of Time. Nicolette could not leave just because something bad might happen. It was not her job. Her job was to manage and if necessary, fix time. If the world was destroyed, it would be unfortunate, but it would rebuild again. It always did. So why was she troubling herself with this? What was making her "tick" so?

"_You have the gift to help change one's fate, even at the last second."_ Another voice reminded. A kinder voice. The voice that made her think and want to understand things such as "emotions." A voice she did not want to let down again no matter what the cost.

Before she could do anything though, she had to converse with Father Time. So in true clockwork fashion, Nicolette set out on her way until she came to a tree, larger than anything earth could have ever grown.

Instead of leaves though there were clocks, watched, hourglasses, and many other trinkets that mortals used to try and monitor time. Every second, one a trinket would drop and dissolve into sand only to immediately be replaced by another. This was because each item was a life gifted with a certain amount of time and when that time was up or "given back," the clock would fall and replaced with another. Father Time claimed it was as beautiful as it was sad, but there it was.

Not really paying them any mind, Nicolette entered the tree and wandered in it till she came to Father Time's study. Father Time liked to settle here when he wasn't repairing the Minute Men, or managing "life," as Nicolette had taken it upon herself to do the rest. And why not? For the study was lovely and wondrous to anyone seeking knowledge for in it held every book ever written, or waiting to be written. And each book was carefully held in the walls the tree's strong branches. At first glance, the study appeared to be gigantic, but upon closer look, it was infinite. Any mortal, even a Pooka, would get lost, but as Nicolette was not a mortal she was able to navigate with ease and find her target.

Buried deep within a book, an old wizard sat in a tall chair, deeply interested in what he was _re_-learning.

"Father- _Ombric_." Ombric, also known as Father Time, looked up and smiled gently at her.

"Ah, Nicolette." He set his book down and stood. Naturally, with all the time he had already read ever book in existence, but it hard to remember everything, so he found himself re-reading alot. "I take it you have finished your end of the year duties? How does the New Year look?" Nicolette thought for a moment.

"Tricky." She finally answered. Ombric chuckled.

"I see." As always, his beard was long and white even as it trailed the ground. His cloak, once white, was now black in mourning, decorated only by the woven Celtic pattern of time. Beside his chair, rested a weapon. A long, deathly, and dangerous weapon, more dangerous than any _weapon_ that was ever and would ever be made in all of Time. Fortunately, it was rare that it was ever actually used.

He walked over to an hourglass shaped stand and poured two wine glasses for them. "Will you join me then?" Nicolette nodded and took the glass. While she did not need nor understand the want of such things as food or drink, it seemed to please Ombric when she joined him.

"You may want to discard your glass and simply drink the bottle, Ombric." She told him quite bluntly. He blinked at her with slight curiosity.

"Why?" Never being one to waste time, Nicolette told him straight out;

"Because this year Pitch's 'time' will start to flow again. This is the year he will be released." Ombric was so startled at the news that he almost dropped the glass and the bottle, but instead he just spilled.

"_What_?" Setting her glass down, Nicolette started to explain.

"The first prediction of the New year was Pitch's return." She stated, looking around for a rag. "I suggest we begin preparing by going back a month so we have 'time' to explain, prepare, and search. Now, the Queen may still be a challenge, but I believe-" Father Time held up his hands to stop her.

"Nicolette, please!" he said. "I need a few moments to process this." He walked to his chair and sunk into it.

Pitch was back. Pitch was _back._ This was horrible, terrible news. But then that also meant that—

"If… If Pitch is going to awaken, then…" Nicolette, having spent the most time with the old man than anyone else in the Sands of Time, knew what he was going to say.

"Then while it could mean the _end of the world_, it means you can finally see your daughter again as that is the only way he could be released."

Ombric didn't know what to feel.

No one knew better than him how dire the situation was. After all, he had spent his whole life as Father Time keeping this moment from happening. But at the same time, if he allowed this to happen, he could finally see his ward again.

He was mentally and emotionally torn. His duties and heart at odds, as they always seemed to be. It was at times like this he envied Nicolette, who did not have to worry about emotions getting in the way.

"What to do?"

If he allowed this to happen, the world could be thrown into chaos once more and in an era where believe was more fragile than anything else in existence, he could jeopardized not only guardians' very lives, but the children of the world as well. However it had been over a thousand years, if not more, since he saw his child. And then there was the fact that he was a servant of time. If Time wished Pitch's release, then was it not his duty to carry out its wishes?

Nicolette heard his question and answered immediately, having already come up with the answer.

"Pitch's sealment was not meant to last forever. It _cannot_ last forever. And it being the first prediction of the New Year means that it was **meant** to happen." She explained. "It'll be dangerous as the world is filled with so much fear and doubt about every little thing, in fact it may doom everything. However, **we **are the Guardians of _Time_. It is our job to make sure what is meant to happen happens. What you happen to gain from doing so is inconsequential." Ombric blinked. As usual, she made sense, but then that was her nature. He chuckled. Nicolette was very much like Bunnymund used to be before he met North.

"So be it then," he said as he stood, using his staff to balance himself. "I assume you have a plan as usual?" Nicolette stopped herself from reminding him that she was about to tell him about her plan before he interrupted.

"_To repeat what I was saying_;" she said with the slightest impatience. "I suggest we begin preparing by going back a month so we have 'time' to explain, prepare, and search. The Queen may still be a challenge as she holds Pitch's prison and bears a grudge against Nightlight and Mother Goose, but I believe that now that Jack Frost is a guardian we may be able to stand up to her. Also, in final battle, it appeared she had a change of heart. If nothing else, I'm sure Mother Nature won't allow another ice age as I believe her goal is to burn the world this time around-" She paid no heed to Ombric's raised eye brow. "In fact, Mother Nature may make things easier considering her relation to Pitch. Finding Katherine should be easy as I believe the Man in the Moon has watched over her when we could not. If luck is smiling on us we can find her before _Pitch's shadow_ does." Ombric had to blink many times before he processed everything. Being a clock work, Nicolette had a tendency to speak quickly though she tried to suppress that habit for his sake. He asked her to repeat everything in a slower tone, and then nodded, accepting the plan.

"Very well. Then I suppose I should go back to the month before then. I leave everything in your care, Nicolette." He grabbed his weapon and made to leave, but The Nick of Time stepped in from of him.

"I must reject that, sir." She explained. "With all due respect, Father Time, I believe you have ether gone senile, or are so emotional that you have forgotten; _you cannot survive outside the Sands of Time_." This make old man curse an old Atalantian curse in his mind.

Unlike Nicolette, Ombric was a mortal and he had been here for longer than even he knew. If he left the Sands of Time, he would become dust.

It wasn't until times like this though that his curse weighed on him.

"Alright," he sighed with the greatest of reluctance. "Then I presume you want to go instead?" She stared at him and he stared deep into golden orbs that reflected a clock face with and clock hands as pupils.

"No. I do not 'want.' But it is the logical solution." She stated.

"If you don't want to go, then you don't have to Nicolette. I can always send Nicolas." At this Nicolette gave him a look so flat, paper would have looked thick.

"Negative. Even if we could find him, his tricky nature will prove most disastrous concerning the situation. Also he doesn't…. 'play' well with others if you remember." Ombric chuckled in spite of himself as he thought of the other Nick of Time.

"You're right. As always."

"Besides," Nicolette shyly shifted her gaze away as he remembered the kind voice. "It is my duty to chance one's fate, even if it is at the last possible moment."

Ombric blinked in startled surprise, then smiled kindly at her.

"Yes, indeed." He said. "Very well. I trust you, Nicolette of Time." Nicolette bowed slightly.

"I will not let you down, Father Time." She promised. She straightened. "And I _will_ bring your child back to you. You have my word." With nothing more to add, Nicolette walked a few steps away and used the little control she had over time to open a portal to her destination; a month before the New Year began. Sharing an affirmative nod with her master and friend, she left.

Once she had gone, Ombric turned his attention to the vast ceiling.

"My dear Katherine."

*8*

After a long day at the preschool, Katherine had finally finished her work and was now heading home. Of course, luck didn't seem to be on her side that night for on her way home her car had broken down, she was a mile away from her apartment, a mechanic was further, and to top it off, it was snowing and she had left her heavy coat home.

"Perfect!" she muttered to herself as she angrily blew a strand of hair from her face. Knowing she would freeze to death if she stayed, Katherine climbed out and started walking home. She prayed that because of the weather there would be no muggers or rapists about. Finding those thoughts too dark she let her mind drift to other things.

'_Well, at least Tommy's snow man will be safe._' It was a hollow, shallow comfort, but a comfort all the same. It grew when she imagined Tommy happily showing his father the prized snow man, only to be replaced with emptiness when she was reminded that she wouldn't be speading with her own father, whoever he was, or anyone actually.

You see, years ago Katherine was found lying alone in a snow bank, almost frozen to death with deep wound around her chest. She awoke in the hospital two weeks later and had started babbling about silly things such as "fearlings," the Man in the Moon, and curses, and other fairytale nonsense. The doctors and police figured that whatever happened to her had been so tragic that this must have been the only way she could cope. Katherine had insisted otherwise though. So hard in fact that she was sent to many therapists, to try and help her and after a few years, she finally stopped talking about it. But without that that "nonsense" as they called it, Katherine had no clue to her past. All she knew was that she was alone.

However Katherine was determined to make a life for herself. So with a lot of hard work she became a school teacher, as she always loved to be company of children as they seemed to enjoy her stories more than adults.

Absently touching the scar on her chest, she glanced up at the moon and felt an instant comfort. The moon was like a friend to her, always was. Whenever she looked up at it she didn't feel so alone.

'_I wonder if it's because of the man in the moon.'_ She chuckled to herself when she remembered the rhyme and stories she told her students. Though they were just silly nursery rhymes, Katherine felt comfort whenever she chanted one.

"_The man in the moon came tumbling down_

_And asked his way to Norwich;_

_He went by the south and burnt his mouth_

_With supping cold Pease porridge."_

It was a silly rhyme, but Katherine always smiled when reciting it and it somehow made the night fell less lonely.

*8*

What Katherine didn't realize was that she was not alone, for from the darkness of the shadows a dark figure was watching her, eyes glowing like embers against pure darkness.

"Well, well," he whispered to himself, genuine curiosity and surprise in his voice. "What do we have here?"

_***~End of Chapter 4~***_

Yay, we got to see Ombric! I hope I portrayed him right.

What is the lie Ombric told? Who is the Queen? How are Ombric, Mother Nature and Katherine all connected? Why is everyone talking about Pitch as if he hasn't been around for a while? Keep reading and find out!


	5. Battle in the Sky

_**Secrets of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out._

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (They weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_***~Battle in the Sky~***_

Katherine was freezing! Honestly, she didn't know how the air had dropped so fast.

'_Alright, Katherine! Let's think about other things.'_ She told herself. As luck would have it, she walking past a toy store which was filled with decorations for the holiday season. Smiling, she walked in for a closer look. She couldn't afford anything on a teacher's salary, but she still liked to look. Her eyes were especially glued to the Santa figurine.

"North…" she mumbled. It was still so hard to believe that he and all her friends were just a dream created by her subconscious to cover a dramatic event. But that was her curse she supposed. No matter how old she got or what everyone said, Katherine still held on to a piece of hope that it was real. However, she never said anything since she didn't want to get sent to the asylum. She still remembered all the horrible things the other children would say in her many therapy sessions about that place and she had no desire at all to go there.

She stared intently at the holiday decorations when suddenly a haunting face flashed inside the glass. Startled, Katherine whipped around to see that she was alone. Hand over her heart, Katherine took in a cold breath.

'_Don't let your imagination get the best of you, Katherine.'_ She told herself. Behind her, the shadow grew until it consumed the whole window. Then it lit in flames behind her. Katherine turned just in time to see tentacles burst out from the window.

'_Wha-'_

"AHHH!"

*8*

After checking on Tommy's snow man, Jack Frost flew into the air. Usually, Jack would be admiring all the Christmas lights, but at the moment his mind was elsewhere. Miss Gosse as she called herself seemed to have set camp in his mind and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake her. At first he couldn't figure out why, but after a while he figured it out;

'_She looks like that odd woman I met years ago.'_

About ten years after his "resurrection," Jack had come across an odd woman who shared the same name as his little sister, Anastasia, though he didn't know it at the time. Like all the others, she couldn't see him, but like with Miss Gosse, Jack couldn't stop thinking about her and found himself following her in her travels until one day Jack decided he didn't like the path the woman was heading down and left her.

The reason Jack now thought about the woman though was because like Miss Gosse, they shared a very special thing in common;

'_I wonder why they both looked like Anna.'_ Indeed. Aside from the wavy hair and silver eyes, Miss Gosse had all the facial features his sister. He noticed that she even acted like her slightly, as did the woman. Actually, Katherine was the type of woman he imagined his little Anastasia growing into, with the looks of the other Anastasia he had met.

This made Jack's heart grip and he bit his lip.

He missed his family so much. Not just his sister, but his mom and dad. He missed playing with Anna in the rain and his mother's constant worrying about them getting sick and his father lecturing him on being more responsible.

"How could I have forgotten them?" he mumbled under his breath. Before he could dwell on it however, a scream pierced the night.

Instinctively, Jack took off in the direction of the sound and as fate would have it, there was Miss Gosse fighting to hold onto a window sill as some fire tentacle fought to pull her in.

"Help me!"

Jack quickly down and grabbed her hands, trying to free her, but the tentacles were fierce and the flames were blazing, even for him. One hand, tightly gripped around one of Katherine's arms, Jack grabbed his staff and used it temporary freeze the flames and the tentacles, giving him enough time to pull Katherine free, the limbs shattering like glass as he did so. With a thump and a grunt, both fell back on to the cold street. Before they relax though, more shadows that Jack recognized to be Pitch's nightmares, attacked.

Jack gripped Katherine close to him before shooting up into the air, hoping to gain higher ground. Katherine, understandably scared and frighten, let out a startled shriek as she clung to Jack, her heart beating a thousand mile per minute. Jack couldn't blame her for being so terrified. Putting aside the fact she was a normal woman who was suddenly attacked, they was currently so far in the sky that the lights below looked like stars. Not to mention that they were being attacked from every side by nightmares seemingly with the intent of killing them. The wind was no help ether for it seemed to try and rip and tear at the two, but at least it did the same to the nightmares, who fought to hold form.

Jack held Katherine as protectively as he could with one arm and used his other to swing his staff at the nightmares that attacked him. He froze a few, but more came.

"What the hell?!" he growled. Why were they after this woman? Who was she that they would fight so hard for her? A nightmare took advantage of his distraction and attacked Jack's right arm, making him drop the girl.

"AHHH!"

"No!" Jack rushed to grab her, but was knocked back by a nightmare. He coughed as he held his gut and even coughed up a bit of blood, but his gaze was locked on the girl. "Miss Gosse!"

*8*

Terror could not even begin to describe the sensation she felt as she fell towards the world below. What was worse she felt as if this had all happened to her before! Her mind became very sharp as she fell and a million and one thoughts rushed into her head quickly.

'_Oh no! No! No! No! Falling! I'm falling! FALLING! Falling fast! VERY FAST! Maybe I'm dreaming! PLEASE LET ME BE DREAMING! Okay, wake up! WAKE UP KAT! Nope! Not working! NOT DREAMING! STILL FALLING! FALLING FAST! Not good! Want to stop! Flying boy! How can he fly? And what's with that staff? And those things! What are they and why are they attacking me? Not important! Not important! Flying boy please help! Falling to my death here! I need assistance! I need HELP! HELP PLEASE! Okay, Kat! Think happy thoughts! Favorite pillow… kittens… puppies… ducklings… bunnies… children! Oh no! What will happen to my students if I die? DIE! OH GOD! SOMEONE HELP! HELP!'_

She had let out another scream when something caught her foot, making her jerk slightly. For a moment she was relieved that she wasn't falling anymore, but then she spotted the face of her savior.

It was the same face that haunted her dreams for years.

"Pitch?!"

He smiled cruelly at her.

"Hello, Katherine."

Katherine felt everything in her mind shatter. He wasn't real. He couldn't be real. They told her that he wasn't real! Yet here he was. Holding her life in his hands as he sneered at her, his face right out of a nightmare.

"My, how you've _grown_." He purred. If Katherine wasn't so shocked at the moment she would have felt quite embarrassed as she had stupidly decided to wear a short winter dress, which had fallen past her thighs and to her hips as she hung upside down. Luckily she was also wearing nighlens, though they were torn from all the commotion.

"Pitch!" Pitch looked up, amused as Jack flew threatening towards them only to be blocked by Pitch's nightmares.

"Well, well! If it isn't your replacement." He taunted, though Katherine didn't know if it was directed at him or her. Jack glared, wanting nothing more than to blast him. He held back though because he was worried he'd hit Katherine.

"Let her go, Pitch!" he growled. Pitch smirked at this as he held Katherine out, ready to drop her.

"Do you_ really_ want me to?" he asked, a slight chuckle in his voice.

"_No!"_ Katherine screamed/ gasped. Falling to her death once was quite enough for one night, though a part of her said she would prefer falling, to whatever this creature had planned.

Jack gritted his teeth as he stared at his foe. He was never one to admit he needed help, but it would have been nice to have some assistance from someone at the moment. He looked up to the moon for some hope, but as luck would have it, it was blocked by clouds, even this high. It was as if the clouds were weaving around them entrapping them in darkness, the only light from the occasional lightening flash.

"What do you even want with her?!" he demanded. "She's not even a child!" Pitch pretended to look astonished.

"Why Jack! Could it be you honestly don't know?" he gasped. "Did the rest of the guardians really not tell you about dear little Katherine?" Jack's scowl deepened. What did he mean? Did this woman have a connection to Katherine or…

His eyes widen.

Pitch shook Katherine as he held her higher, emitting a squeak from the woman.

"How do you like that?" he said to her. "You gave up your _life _for them and how do they repay you? They forget all about you!" Katherine yelped as his grip tightened on her ankle.

"This isn't happening!" she whimpered to herself. It couldn't. He was just a dream. "This isn't real! This **can't** be real!" Pitch laughed at the woman's mental torture.

"Hmm... It would seem that they're not the _only_ ones who forgot." He smirked. "Looks like I'll have to be the one who reminds you of _exactly_ who you are. But first;" Pitch then held her higher and retracting his other fist back. Katherine clenched her eyes closed and braced for impact. It didn't come though, for just then Jack had used Pitch's distraction to break through his defenses and had tackled the nightmare king from the side. This surprised the man so that he released the woman and Katherine started to plummet again.

Jack and Pitch both raced towards her as quickly as they could, but Nature seemed to be against Jack as it cut off his path with a sudden flash of lightening allowing the shadow to get to the teacher first.

"_No!"_

In the air, Pitch caught Katherine tightly by her throat, making her emit a startled choked scream.

"_At last_." He whispered. He drew back his other hand and purged it deep into Katherine's chest. The moment he did though, a bright light flared from her chest and into the sky, blind all within the area.

*8*

Something odd was happening.

The Sandman could feel it as he weaved his dreams for the sleeping children below. The wind was colder and the clouds above had made a point to block the moon above for some reason. At first he was worried it was Pitch again, but upon closer look he realized they were just regular storm clouds.

This didn't put him at ease though as the guardians and Mother Nature was not on the best of terms. Technically, they weren't on bad terms, but she was very spiteful towards them, especially against North. Sandy remembered when she had tried to trap the man in a terrible blizzard. Luckily he found a way through.

He didn't blame her for bitterness considering her history, but he wished she would take it easy with the thunder as they tended to frighten children with their sudden and unnerving loud sounds. But he digressed.

It wasn't the storms par say that made Sandy nervous, but how sudden they had come. They had literally appeared out of nowhere and seemed to be covering something. It made the Sandman wonder what Mother Nature was up to now as she had been especially violent this year.

It wasn't until a light exploded in the distance that Sandy's eyes widen as he recognized the light with a heart broken expression. Quickly as he could, he took off into the distance to confirm his suspicion.

*8*

Pitch was blinded and even burned by the light that had burst from the woman's chest. It was searing hot and filled with warmth he had never known. It was so powerful that Pitch had no choice but to back far away as the light took form. Even Jack was entranced by the light that filled the area that surrounded them. He had never seen a light like that.

"Whoa…"

The light shown in every corner of the darkness around them until it focused on one point which was above Katherine, who floated as all the light flowed from her. Finally, the light took the shape of a young boy, making Jack stare.

"Nightlight!?" he gasped as he recognized the spectral boy.

The new comer blinked as his light settled to a light glow, and he started to get a hold on his surroundings as he held a hand over his left eye. With Katherine however, she begun to descend slightly in the sky, since she no longer had the light to hold her, but Jack had regained himself and managed to catch the poor woman just as she started to fall. Once she was securely in his arms, he looked her over as he slowly begun to realize who she was.

"It can't be." He breathed.

*8*

Nightlight shook his head a few times to regain himself, making his long, silvery blue hair fly around his face. Where was he? What had happened? Had the plan work? What was-

"Look out!" Nightlight looked up at the warning and dodged a black arrow that came his way. A spectral eye and black and red eye widen as he looked towards the source of the attack.

'_Pitch!'_ Then upon closer look he realized that it_ wasn't_ Pitch. Not exactly. But then, who was he?

"Well, well." The shadow said, golden eyes glaring against the night. "It seems that all sorts of old faces are showing up tonight." Nightlight clenched his fists as he glared at the foe before him, ready to fight. Pitch held out his hand.

"I'll take that_ key_." Nightlight was confused for a moment before he realized that he was holding something in his fist. Glancing down he saw it was a key shaped like a clock hand.

'_The key…!'_ Before Nightlight could remember what the key was for a shadow shot towards it. He managed to whip his hand back and still hold on to the key, but gritted his teeth as he looked around.

"What now?!" Jack gasped.

Swirling around the boys like a black tornado were dark shadows. At first Jack thought they were the nightmares that Pitch always used to fight with, but these were different. These were at least a hundred times frightened and were darker than anything Jack had ever seen. But the absolute worse was had to be was the thousands of voices that laughed and giggled in tones that matched the very essences of evil itself. Jack found himself cringing at the sounds as his heart rate jumped ten paces and chills that froze even him went down his spine. He even felt sweat form in his palms. Still, he was determined not to show his fear and held his staff protectively in front of him and the girl he held. Somehow he could tell that the creatures could sense his fear though.

"What are these things?!" he demanded from the other boy, pulling Katherine closer to him in an attempt for comfort. It was Pitch who answered though.

"These," he cooed. "Are my _Fearlings_. And we'll be taking the key thank you." As all the fearlings closed in on them like blades Nightlight tried to ready for an attack, but quickly realized that he had no weapon to fight with. Jack raised his own to defend, but his staff only sparked.

"Dammit!" He yelled as he shook it. "Why isn't this working?!" He winced as his ears stung and his heart rang. He wished those creatures would just shut up!

For a moment Jack actually thought they would be torn to shreds by the darkness when a golden light cut through the shadows and shielded them. Jack looked up and his eyes brighten with relief.

"Sandy!" he gasped. Floating above the darkness and shadow was none other than the sandman himself, looking surprisingly serious. The fearlings all hissed in anger and cried in fear, but all the same they rushed to attack him. This was a mistake for Sandy used his sands to attack each one and he even grabbed a few with his fists to deal with personally. Knowing they were no match for this being they instead tried to attack the boys and the unconscious Katherine, but Sandy saw through this trick and destroyed the creatures before they could reach them.

Pitch scowled at the sight, but was intelligent to know that even with the fearlings at his side he would not be able to handle three guardians for he was still weak from his last battle with the Sandman and his own Night Mares. Not to mention his skin still burned from the light the spectral boy emitted earlier.

"This is** not **over!" he warned. His gaze fell on Katherine and he smirked. "_Far_ from it." Then concealing himself in a veil of shadow, he vanished.

When the fearlings were gone, Jack almost dropped from relief, his ears still ringing with that horrible sound.

"Does anyone want to explain what the _hell _is going on?!" he demanded. But the other two ignored him, eyes locked on one another.

Sandy blinked a few times, as if he wasn't really sure what he was seeing. Then he smiled and embraced the surprised spectral, twirling in happiness. When he finally pulled away images appeared rapidly over his head. Jack was only able to catch Nightlight, a goose, a snow flake with a crown and a tombstone. Jack was going to tell him to slow down and have the other boy explain when the woman in his arms stirred slightly.

"Uh, guys!" he interrupted loudly. "Maybe we should continue this elsewhere?" He motioned to Katherine who suddenly looked beyond exhausted even in her sleep. Sandy stared at the woman with a long, haunting look as he reached out a hand as if to see if she was really there and not seeing things. When his hand touched her cheek his eyes weld up with tears and now that Jack had an inkling to who this woman was, he understood why. Nightlight stared in shock as well.

"_Katherine?"_ he whispered in his otherworldly voice.

_***~End of Chapter 5~***_

Short chapter? More questions, no answers? Cliff hanger? How can I be so cruel! Hee, hee! Review please! I know things are confusing, but the beginnings always are. Things will make sense as the story goes on.


	6. Calling the team together

_**Secrets of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out._

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Pitch is less threatening and Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (They weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_***~Calling the team together~***_

Deciding that the air was no place for conversation, Sandy led the boys to his home which was a small isle in the center of the ocean which he referred to as Sleepy Sands (1). When they arrived, Jack looked around in awe as he had never been here before. There were tall pillars of sand and even a few towers with golden walk ways. Everything was glowing and each and every sand twinkled with a dream, ready to be given to a child.

"Whoa! Nice place, Sands!" he said as he followed Sandy. He giggled slightly when he saw some seashells with legs running around. Sandy made a thank you motion and led Jack to a giant seashell with a red cushion in the center. He motioned to Jack to lay the young lady in his arms on the bed, which he did gladly as she was starting to get heavy as he had held her so long.

As he did so he noted that the other boy, Nightlight, was watching Katherine intently, as if in a trance. Jack didn't necessary blame him, as he was still in shock himself. This woman was little Katherine? The little girl with the giant goose.

'_Guess that explains the name.'_ he thought. '_Kinda obvious now that I think about it.'_

After making sure Katherine was settled, Sandy hurried to another part of his home to a bright round orb. He touched it and it released a wave of golden sand and music that soared through the air.

"What was that?" Jack asked when he returned. Sandy made an image of a flag, then an N, a tooth, and an egg, which told Jack he was signaling the others. Jack nodded at that. Even he knew how important this was to them.

*8*

To say the least, North was surprised when he entered his workshop. He received many odd visitors but this one really surprised him.

"Nicolette!" he greeted in a friendly tone. The girl, who had been watching the globe lit with children's beliefs with surprising interest, turned to him with a nod of greeting.

"Sir Nicolas of North." She said. North grimaced.

"I told you a hundred and one times Nicolette; it's just _North_."

"Apologies, Sir North."

North and Nicolette were good friends for they had worked together quite often in the past. Heck, he had helped build her with Ombric and Bunnymund, so in a way he was her father/uncle. Yet despite their closeness, she always acted so serious and formal which irritated him to no end. Bunnymund had explained that it was just her nature as a Clockwork, but North swore she did it to annoy him as her counterpart did. While she never smiled, North could see the smirk she wore underneath her metronome tone in her eyes.

Smiling, he shook his head as he walked over to her a friendly fashion.

"So," he said. "What brings you here? How is the old man?" As happy as he always was about seeing an old friend, he knew that Nicolette was a workaholic and only came for two reasons; if she was invited, or if there was trouble. He didn't invite her as it was the Christmas season, so there must have been trouble. _Serious_ trouble.

North knew that when she looked up at him with a serious, almost mournful expression.

"….It's time." She said. North frowned in confusion. Did she mean that something was supposed to happen, or did he mean that there was something wrong with time itself?

"What do you mean?" Nicolette spoke without hesitation.

"Pitch, the _**real**_ Pitch, is going to be released." North's eyes widen.

"_What_?" he breathed. Nicolette was about to repeat herself, but North stopped her. "Tut! Tut! I heard you, but how?" Nicolette assumed he was asking about how Pitch was going to be released and not how he heard what she told him.

"I do not know. But _it is_ going to **happen**." North's expression became very serious and grim. Memories that he wanted to forget came flowing into his mind, all focused around Pitch. Including the worst one he had to this day.

"Then we must prevent it!" he said, already making a plan in his mind as he paced.

"I cannot allow that." North stopped and frowned at the Clockwork, demanding an explanation. "This was a prediction of the New Year. As a servant of time I must carry out its wishes and allow this to happen." Nicolette elaborated.

"Do you have any idea what will happen if you do that?" he demanded, trying to keep his temper in control. "If 'Pitch' gets out-"

"_I am well aware of the situation_." Nicolette interrupted. "But still it **must** happen." North pulled at his beard trying to think of a way to explain this to her so she would understand how dire it is.

"It is my job to _protect_ the children of the world." He said.

"I am aware. I have taken everything into consideration and I am aware what will happen when Pitch is released. But as I said, it **must **happen and it will." She spoke to him as gentle as she knew how, but she knew her voice was still stern. She considered going to Bunnymund first as he understood the laws of Time just as well as she did, if not more so, but he had also become very emotional over the years and was just as illogical as North, if not more so at times.

Besides, in the end North was the logical first choice; while he would take the longest to convince because of his human nature, he was the appointed leader of the guardians so having him on her side would make things easier when talking to the rest.

North stood tall. Old he may be, but he was still a warrior and he had made a vow; to not let his friends' sacrifice be in vain.

"I cannot let that happen." He said in a low tone. Nicolette stood her ground and continued.

"That is not up to you. It is up to time and fate. You have no say in the matter. Besides, you may want to just let fate take its course."

"Oh? And what makes you say that?" Nicolette decided to just 'rip off the bandage' as she heard Ombric say.

"Because Lady Katherine and Sir Nightlight are still _alive_. And the only way you can see her again is if we follow the path that time has laid out for you." North's eyes widen and became filled with more emotions than Nicolette could name.

"_What_?" Nicolette stepped forward.

"Perhaps we should continue this alone." She stated. Around them all the Yetis and elves had frozen at the mention of Pitch and stopped what they were doing to watch them with wide eyes. The only sound was the machines used to make the toys.

North frowned as he turned, but motioned to Nicolette to follow him.

"Get back to work!" he barked at everyone else, making them all jump high like rabbits. When they reached his study, North slammed the door and glared at her darkly.

"There had _better_ be an explanation for this." He said.

"There is." Nicolette assured him. "Whether or not you think it's acceptable though is up to you. But since there is little time, I'll explain what you need to know; Katherine is still alive." North's frown deepened.

"I was there. I saw-"

"A bright flash of light after the Pitch's attack." Nicolette cut in. "And when the light was gone, so was Katherine, Nightlight, and Pitch." North stared at her. He looked like he was about to cry, but there was also a bit of hope in his eyes, if Nicolette was reading him right.

"They're _alive_? Both of them?" he asked, his voice a raspy whisper. "But how? I-"

"Forgive me North, but there will be time for everything later. For now though, I believe it would be wise to find Katherine before Pitch's Shadow does. The rest should be explained with her and the rest of the guardians present."

"You know where she is?" She shook her head.

"No. But I believe the Man in the Moon does." She replied. "And like I said, I believe we should hurry. If Pitch is to be released then that means that-" Before she could finish they were interrupted by a loud alarm.

*8*

At Tooth palace, Toothiana was working at a pace that would make all the clockworks at the Sands of time. Despite the fact that it had been a year since Pitch had attacked, Tooth was still working day and night to fix the damage Pitch had done while making sure all the teeth were unharmed, and of course upping the security to prevent it from happening again, all the while collecting new teeth from all the children of the world.

She was interrupted though when she saw a golden light soar across the sky.

'_Sandy!'_ Immediately, Toothiana took off into the distance, praying that whatever it was, it wasn't Pitch.

*8*

In his Warren, Bunnymund was practicing with his boomerang when he heard the light sound of music and saw the spectral of gold float across the sky. He let out an almost tired sigh.

"Not again." he breathed. He tapped his foot on the ground and one of his holes opened, allowing him to enter.

*8*

North and Nicolette saw the golden light and frowned suspiciously.

"What's this about?" North muttered. Then his eyes widen. "Pitch!" Nicolette sighed as North ran to grab his coat and swords.

"If memory serves, the world isn't supposed to end for twenty one days." She said to herself out loud as she followed.

"That was just joke Nicolas and April made to Mayans years ago, yes?"

"Depends on your definition of 'end' and 'joke.'"

North, deciding that he already had too much on his mind at the moment, chose not to respond and hurried to the sleigh. When it was pulled out, Nicolette was impressed.

"You improved it." She noted. Usually North loved to brag about his work, and was especially proud of his sleigh, but considering that they were in a hurry he didn't respond as they climbed in.

"Buckle up!" he told her as he grabbed the reins. Nicolette did so and blinked when she realized something.

"...? Where are the seat belts?"

_**~*End of Chapter 6*~**_

Sleepy Sands is the name of Sandy's home as read from his book,

Okay, we called the guardians, now we just have to get them together. Please review!


	7. Nightmare

_**Secrets of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out._

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (They weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_***~Nightmare~***_

Far, far away, Pitch walked the edge of beach his eyes glowing as he cocked his head towards the shadows that followed him back and forth as he paced. Long ago, the Fearlings disagreed with him and left him to fend on his own, but now things were different. Now, they both shared a common a goal.

_Vengeance._

For the first time in a long time Pitch felt truly powerful.

"Let's get back what is rightfully ours, shall we?" He waved his hand and in the sea formed a giant ship from what appeared to be black ash. All the fearlings laughed evilly as they all clawed on, glee and excitement in their voices.

Pitch looked up to the storm clouds as the wind wrapped around him and smiled. The guardians may have defeated him last time, but this time would be different. This time he had **help**.

"Oh, but before we leave," he conjured a black globe in his hand. In it, black smoke swirled around until Katherine's face came into view. "Poor thing. So much to deal with. Fear not my beauty; for the King of Sleep will ease your worries." The fearlings at his side crawled into the orb and Katherine's face became blacken as they surrounded her.

Soon, he would teach the guardians exactly how it felt to be _forgotten._

*8*

Jack watched Nightlight carefully as they "spoke" which merely compiled of both just glowing in different ways.

'_Just my luck to be stuck with the two silent bobs.'_ Jack thought with an irritated breath. He hated being kept out of the loop, but at the same time he knew it would be cruel to interrupt after everything, so instead turned his attention to the sleeping beauty.

At the very least Jack could say she wasn't hurt, at least not too badly. Sure there were one or two bruises, but at least she wasn't bleeding anywhere. As he stared at her, her face suddenly shifted to the strange woman who shared his sister's name.

He winced slightly.

'_Stop it.'_ He told himself. _'She's gone now so it doesn't matter!' _To stop thinking about the woman he focused all his thoughts on Katherine.

Jack had met Nightlight and Katherine once, decades ago when Mother Nature had kidnapped the girl and taken her to her realm. It was there Jack met her for the first time. He had decided to help her since she was very much out of here element there and he knew that if he left her, she would have died.

He vaguely remembered Katherine as a child, but he had left as soon as he had helped return her to her village as back then as he preferred doing what he what he wanted without ties.

Jack never saw her again until recently and the same went for Nightlight. He remembered years later he asked about the two, only to be told they were killed. He never mentioned them again as when he did, sorrow would pass over the guardians' faces. Yet here they both were. Alive.

Slowly, he ran a hand across her face. It was amazing how much she reminded him of his sister. He wondered why she resembled her so much.

Heck, he wondered why everyone thought she was dead and why she was here now? Why was Nightlight here?

It seemed also criminal to interrupt the spectral boy and Sandy, however Jack decided he wanted answers now, so he decided to snap the two out of it.

"So what gives?" he demanded of Nightlight. "I thought you and Kat died years ago." Sandy nodded, also wanting answers.

Nightlight blinked in confusion before subconsciously covering his left eye, which Jack suddenly noticed was black instead of glowing like the rest of him. He wanted to give them answers, but in all honesty he was having trouble putting all the pieces together in his mind as he was still shaken slightly. He opened his hand and stared at the key, frowning slightly. Whatever happened, he knew it was because of this thing. Jack glanced at it too.

"What is that?" he asked. Sandy blinked at it and formed Clocks and gears over his head, and then an old man. Jack, being pretty good at deciphering Sandy, took a guess. "Father Time? What does he have to do with anything?" Sandy pointed at the key. Jack figured that he was telling him that that the key belonged to Father Time, but what was Nightlight doing with it?

"_It was part of a plan…"_ Nightlight said slowly. "_A plan that went wrong."_

He was about to ask when a frighten whimper interrupted. They looked over at Katherine who looked as if she was caught in a nightmare, which considering who their enemy was, was a very bad thing.

"What's happening?" he asked. "Why is she…?" Nightlight bent down and gripped her hand as he pushed a strand of hair from her face.

"_Katherine…"_

*8*

_In her dream, haunting images rode by like a carious wheel. Until all that was left was white and Katherine found herself strapped tightly in a strait jacket. It was so tight that she could feel herself becoming numb, but that numbness was a blessing compared to how her head currently felt._

"_Poor thing." She heard an old voice say. "Can't distinguish illusion from reality. Even after all our advanced treatments. Perhaps what is need is more… 'extreme' measures." _

"_Quite right, doctor." Another voice agreed. Then Katherine found herself strapped to a chair that splintered into her back as someone started to drill into her head._

"_Old chairs to mend, Old chairs to mend; If I'd as much money as I could spend, I never would cry, 'Old chairs to mend.'" The voice chimed. "The chairs are cruel, but they hold you well enough to mend a broken mind, or waste what's left of it."_

_As pain split in her forehead the scenery changed and Katherine found herself in an old, bloody room with stone and wood torn away. In the corner sat a child with a smile quite literally stitched on her face._

"_Cuckoo, cuckoo, what do you do? In April I open my bill; In May I sing all day; In June I change my tune; In July away I fly; In August away I must." She stated, eyes spinning like a spiral. "Tread carefully, Katty. People don't like those who are different. They call us dangerous. Seeing things that are not there. Never do they think that maybe just maybe we see things that they cannot. Belief in gods and hell is fine, but seeing and hearing other things makes you mad. Don't let yourself see what they cannot. If you do, they will punish you! As if we aren't punished enough." Katherine felt heartbroken as she watched the poor child, but at the same time she heard her words well. "Deny! Deny! Whether it be real or lie, deny! Or end up like me."_

_Everything faded into shadow and everything became cold. When she could perceive again, she saw that everything was covered in ice and snow. Standing in front of a mirror was a woman in a pure white dress and long hair._

"_Sacrifice everything and you are left with nothing, others however will carry your pain for eternity. That is why so many suffer." Her voice was soft, yet it cut through Katherine like the first breath of winter. "I wonder. Will you forget and become empty like me?" She turned and suddenly turned into a tall, shadowing figure with dark, almost soulless eyes._

"_Or dark like me?" he whispered. From him a string of shadows appeared and crawl towards her. Katherine's mind was in such a state of shock she didn't even try to run. Instead, she just stood there as the shadows started to wrap around her. They began to claw at her. Pulling and yanking at skin and muscle, until there was nothing left of her but bones and the shadows ripped at that too._

"_Forget."_

_Katherine's scream echoed through her mind as fear overcame her._

*8*

Nightlight held her tightly as he skin paled and her heart quickened. He tried to wake her, but the exhaustion she felt was too much. Jack turned to the sandman who didn't even need to hear the question to know what he wanted. Sandy tried to use his dream sand, but it didn't seem to have any effect.

"Why isn't it working?!" Jack demanded, but it was Nightlight who answered.

"_Because the dream is of Katherine's own making."_ He replied softly. "_It's her subconscious that's torturing her."_

"Why?!" Nightlight honestly did not know. He tried waking her by grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her, but she was in a deep sleep that Nightlight could not shake her out of, for she was mentally and physically exhausted.

Sandy thought frantically of how he could help, then brighten when an idea came to mind. He ran to the edge and whistled. For a moment, nothing happed, but then from the sea raised three beautiful women.

"You called, sky sailor?" one asked. Sandy motioned to the poor woman, and then made a musical note appear above his head.

The mermaids frowned slightly. They did care to sing for just any human, but one look at the star child told them that this human was very special and dear to him. So they hopped out of the sea and settled around the woman.

"You're cold!" one complained to Jack, who was staring with wide eyes. Not because of the fact that they were mermaids, but because they were hot women showing their midriffs.

"Oh! Sorry!" Jack apologized as he backed away quickly like a frighten kitten.

Once they were settled, they all began to hum a tune to Katherine.

"_Curl up, close your eyes and sleep _

_Sleep through the dark of night _

_Sleep till the morning light _

_Curl up, close your eyes and sleep _

_Curl up, close your eyes and dream _

_Think of the want you feel _

_Dream now, and dream it real _

_Curl up, close your eyes and dream _

_Tomorrow the world will be yours _

_Tomorrow will be so fine - _

_The heavens will smile, the sun will shine _

_Tomorrow the world will be yours _

_Curl up, close your eyes and sleep..." (2)_

At first it seemed to have no effect, but then her face began to relax and color returned to her flesh. She still trembled like a bunny, but even that was starting to subside. Sandy took this opertunity to try and give her pleasant dreams. In the beginning, this appeared to have failed, but then a dream appeared over her head, which seemed to be Katherine playing with her students.

When that was done, Sandy let out a relieved sigh and patted her forehead affectionately. He then turned to his sea friends and gave them a grateful grin. They nodded back, before staring at the girl.

"Is this Katherine?" they asked. Sandy thought for a moment, as if debating whether or not to tell, then nodded. "But we thought…"

They were interrupted by a hole opening up in the ground. Out of it came Bunnymund.

"Alright Sandy, this better be important!" he said gruffly. "It's bad enough when-" He stopped and froze like a lake in winter when his gaze met a just as surprised Nightlight's.

"_It can't be_." He breathed, a million emotions flashing across wide, spring green eyes. Nightlight tilted his head in confusion at the pooka. This was Bunnymund? It couldn't be! He was _completely_ different from the Bunnymund he knew.

"Yeah, we've all been thinking the same thing." Jack muttered. He glanced up the night sea sky when the rapid flapping of wings caught his attention. "Tooth!" Then he chuckled as a smaller tooth fairy flew around him then rubbed against his face. "Hey! Baby Tooth."

"Jack! Sandy! What's happened? Is it Pitch? Is he back…" Toothiana trailed off as her gaze fell upon Nightlight and Katherine. She went so quiet Jack was genuinely worried.

"Tooth?" Toothiana didn't reply. But she slowly floated to the ground and fell to her knees, eyes wide as she sunk in the sand. Concerned, Jack and Nightlight ran to her side, Nightlight staring with the same amount of surprise she held for him.

"I…but… how?" she asked. Nightlight shrugged, not knowing where to even begin. This was Toothiana? The Queen of the Tooth Army? She was so _different_. They were _all_ different. Katherine, Bunnymund, Toothiana, they had all changed so much that the shock he felt was like being struck by lightning. What was next?

As if the universe wanted to answer his question, he heard a crash in the distance with bells.

"Sandy!" North called as he clambered out of his sled. "What has happened? No! Never mind! Cannot be bigger than what I have to say!"

"Wanna bet?" Jack said a touch of irony in his voice. North frowned but like everyone else, his big blue eyes widen and his heart jumped ten paces faster at the sight of the two new comers.

"Katherine. Nightlight."

_***~End of Chapter 7~***_

Well, it seems everyone went into shock in this chapter. But luckily, you all will finally be getting answers to most (a few) of your inquiries, so please review!

You can learn more about Sandy's home in his book.

The song is Celtic lullaby called "Sleep" I don't know who sang it.


	8. Where things are finally Explained

_**Secrets of Time & Ice**_

_Summary: When the New Year is born, the countdown to the awakening of an ancient evil has begun and secrets that were hidden by time the darkness of the moon is revealed. And the secret is focused around Katherine and what happened to Jack's sister after he died. But how are the two connected? Jack and North are determined to find out._

_Notes: This is my reasoning behind why Katherine, Nightlight, and Ombric were not present in the movie AT ALL! (They weren't even mentioned!) I will do my best to tie together the movie and the book series._

_***~Where things are finally Explained~***_

Nicolette stumbled out of North's sled with as much dignity as she could muster, but she had to admit to herself that it was quite difficult. The Sands of Time had no gravity, so coming to a world with gravity was difficult. While she managed the best she could, the way North drove merely added to that difficulty. Still, she had too much pride to start stumbling like a drunk, and so she gathered herself and stood as tall as her short stature would let her. Luckily, she had the time to do so for the guardians' eyes were all on Katherine and Nightlight. Especially North's.

"Katherine." He breathed, his eyes filled with unfallen tears. The Mermaids moved out of the way as he stumbled over and fell to his knees at her side as he stared at her, watched her sleeping face.

Was this real? Was this real, or this his mind playing a cruel trick?

Slowly, he reached out to touch her face, but just as he neared his hand went through her like a ghost.

The pain on his face was obvious to everyone and each person who saw it gained a look of pity and slight confusion.

"Why…" Tooth started. Nicolette, standing as tall as she could, walked over to the group and with an expression of slight remorse.

"She's an adult now." She explained. "An adult who grew up in a day and age where adults can't believe in you. I'm sorry." Everyone went silent as sadness crossed their eyes, except Jack who was whipping his head back and forth to each and every person with a look of pity and confusion.

"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed. "She saw me! She talked to me, clung to me, I even carried her here! And who the heck are you?" He directed the last question at Nicolette who stared at him as if she were studying him, which she was.

" . Andtoyourfirstiuiry,wasthisoreoraftrSirNigtlight elease?" Jack blinked at her, not catching a word she said. She spoke so fast the worlds were over lapping, and it was as if she was speaking another language, and he knew every language in the world! (Or at least most.)

"Uh, would you repeat that? A little slower this time." Nicolette sighed impatiently.

"Apologies." She said, forcing herself to speak slower, though it made her feel silly. "I am Nicolette of Time. The First in the Nicks of Time Clockworks. And to your first inquiry, was this before or after Sir Nightlight's release?" Jack blinked again. She still spoke quickly, but at least he could understand her this time.

"Um, before? But I was still able to carry her here." Nicolette took less than a second to run all the possible scenarios in her head. But before she could gain any more information, North stood.

"Not important right now." He said in a low, almost broken tone. "We'll figure it out later." Then he turned to Nightlight, who stared at the tall man with much interest. "Nightlight, what happened? We thought you were dead."

Nightlight looked away from those deep blue eyes that were inquiring information in shame. He didn't remember exactly what had happened, but what he did remember made him feel ashamed. Everyone watched him, wanting, eyes demanding an answer. He glanced up to the moon for some sort of comfort from his oldest friend, but even the moon seemed to be sad.

Nicolette stepped forward to his rescue.

"It is complicated, but I will answer all questions you have for that is one of the reasons I am here."

*8*

_High in the sky, hidden on the dark side of the moon a figure sat cold and calculating. She tapped her staff in an irritated motion. She was becoming quite impatient and annoyed with everything. But then that was her nature. A nature that was only suppressed and contained by her brother. Her dear, sweet, loving brother. _

_She felt sorry for him. Sorry that even he would not be able to stop the darkness that was coming. As sad as it was however, the girl could not stop the curl of her lips at the thought of the fun to come._

"_Let it begin." She whispered, almost pleadingly._

*8*

Sandy led them to the tower of the isle leaving Katherine in the mermaid's care, and Baby Tooth's as well. Once there, everyone watched Nicolette expectantly, except for Nightlight, whom was trying to sink in the corner of the wall.

"Well, Sheila?" Bunnymund demanded. "Explain." Nicolette frowned. Her name was not Sheila, it was Nicolette! He should know this as he helped build her! Was it perhaps an expression? She shook her head. She would inquire later.

"Everyone here is aware of the final battle with Pitch and the Snow Queen, correct?" Jack interrupted, raising his hand as he leaned on his staff.

"Uh, no. Not all." Nicolette glanced at him.

"Very well. I shall simplify this as much as I can. Do you at least know who the Snow Queen is?" Jack thought for a moment.

"I've heard bits and pieces." He admitted. "She was like me, as far as ice powers go. I heard she had a kingdom and then there's something about a mirror." Nicolette blinked at him, as if genuinely surprised.

"_That's it_?" Jack shifted slightly under her piercing golden gaze.

"_Yeah…"_ Was he supposed to know more? Nicolette thought for a moment, and then looked away.

"That is for another time, I suppose." She said. For some reason Jack could not gather, she started to pace back and forth as she spoke, continuing her story.

"Due to a series of…. 'Events,'" Nightlight shifted uncomfortably in guilt. "Pitch and the Queen joined forces to take the guardians down. In their partnership, they had created a dangerous spell that would ensnare each every child in their own nightmares, trapped until they were changed into Fearlings. Naturally, this could not be allowed, so the guardians came up with a plan to stop them. However, Nightlight and I had also come up with a separate plan." Toothiana frowned.

"And what plan was that?" she asked, eyes narrowing. Nicolette met them as she stopped, much to the relief of Jack and Sandy, both of which were becoming sleepy and dizzy with her metronome movements.

"Pitch was getting too strong in Nightlight's opinion, and this spell was the last straw. So we devised the best way to stop him at the time; to seal him again, this time in _Nightlight's body_."

The guardians turned their gazes to the boy who didn't even look at them. He knew their eyes would be filled with betrayal and he couldn't face it. He just couldn't. Sensing this, Nicolette sternly added,

"At_ my_ urging." The looks turned to her now, but she didn't mind. After all, why should it? She was a clockwork. She was not made to be liked, just to do her job.

Bunnymund was deathly still, his nose twitching only once in a while as his eyes narrowed. If the situation were different, he would have been impressed that Nicolette was trying to get them to pass all their blame onto her, as this was a trait he could not program in her, meaning she had learned it. On the other hand, she could be telling the truth as he wasn't sure she understood blame.

It was finally Tooth who spoke, breaking the silence.

"_Why?"_ she whispered. Despite their piercing gaze, Nicolette stood firm, a trait Nightlight wished he could have at the moment.

"Because Nightlight's light neutralizes Pitch's darkness." She explained. "I was told that if we sealed Pitch inside Nightlight, we would finally be able to stop him."

_*8*_

_ Nicolette was unsure why Nightlight had asked her to follow him that night all those years ago, but did not question. It was very rare Nicolette ever questioned an order given to her. In fact, back then she never did for honestly she never thought to._

_Nightlight had led her to a dark room inside one of the Lunar Monk's temples. Once there he closed the curtains to keep the moonlight out. This time Nightlight did not want his oldest friend to know what he was planning. In fact he didn't want anyone to know what he was planning._

_Nicolette waited as patiently as she could, but as a clockwork, Nicolette had to work every second of the day, or risk going crazy. So finally she asked,_

"_What is it you wish of me, Sir Nightlight?" Nightlight looked at her with one sad, glowing eye for the other was heavily bandaged. He started to speak in moon language to her, which Nicolette understood perfectly for Ombric and Bunnymund had programmed her to know every language they did._

"_I am aware of the final battle tomorrow." _

_They had only been discussing it with the other guardians for a week now to a make a plan to stop Pitch and the Snow Queen. So why was Sir Nightlight repeating what she already knew? Did he not know that unlike Mortals, Nicolette had an endless memory supply and could never forget a thing? _

"_Is the plan we made, unclear to you, Sir Nightlight?" Nightlight shook his head with a hallow smile._

_Then in the language of the moon he explained that Pitch had caused enough pain and suffering and would have to be stopped permanently and the only time he was stopped was when Nightlight had sealed him with the moon dagger, so he had come up with a plan to stop Pitch forever._

"Nicolette,"_ he said in the common language. "_Tomorrow, when I give the word, you are to slow time and then seal Pitch inside me. Once that is done you are to destroy the both of us. Is that clear?"

_Back then Nicolette did not hear the sadness and bitterness in his voice, nor did she understand the result of this order. All she understood was that she had been given an order and she was to obey as her creators had told her to follow the orders of their companions. So she replied,_

"_Understood, Sir Nightlight."_

_*8*_

North turned back to Nightlight.

"You were going to _sacrifice_ yourself?" he hissed. He appeared angry, but he was in fact hurt. A hurt that Nightlight finally understood. He still didn't look at him, but slowly nodded. "And Man in-" Nicolette cut him off right away.

"Man in Moon knew **NOTHING**." Jack almost stumbled back in surprise at the defense in her tone. Forget the fact that was the first full on emotion he heard in her voice in all the time she spoke, other than impatience and slight guilt; the way she said that last word made Jack think she would actually rip off North's head. It was the first time when she spoke she did not sound like a robot, but a human. "We made a plan. **Just** Nightlight and _I_. A plan that _**I**_ take full responsibility for, along with everything that happened afterward." Bunnymund's nose twitched as he remained still. So still that it startled Jack when he spoke.

"And how did _Katherine_ get involved?" he asked, voice short. Nicolette answered right away.

"We planned to do the sealment in the final battle, when we thought we would have the best opportunity, but then the unexpected happen."

*8*

_ It was the final battle and all the old guardians plus Nicolette were fending off the fearlings as Pitch turned his dark gaze towards Nightlight with pure hatred._

"_I have had ENOUGH of you!" the demon growled. He raised his arm and threw a spell at Nightlight, who floated in defiance, a look of sadness and determination on his face as he cast a quick look at Nicolette, who caught the signal. _

_She slowed time as much as she was currently able to and began chanting the spell Nightlight had given her. Using her two time cannons Nicolette focused one on Pitch and the other on Nightlight creating a chain of shadow and light, pulling the two together. Nicolette then started to bring her guns closer together, which in turn brought the Nightmare King and the Spectral boy closer. _

_The fearlings seemed to be the only ones to see what was happening and tried to pull their master away, in turn, pulling Nicolette from her stance. Remembering that Nightlight had given her an order, Nicolette slammed the two keys above her head, throwing the two towards each other and ripping Pitch out of the fearlings' grip so they were only holding his shadow. _

_But then Nicolette saw something that she did not see before at she was too focused on Nightlight and Pitch._

_Katherine, whom had been sitting by the Snow Queen's side before Nicolette had slowed time, had somehow stood and in the time Nicolette had been casting the spell, had stood and ran in front of Nightlight. She didn't see that Nicolette had cast a spell and was now binding the two. All Katherine was seeing was Pitch's attack flying towards her most precious friend. She also didn't see the Snow Queen stand in front of both to protect them. _

_Both of which Nicolette had missed because she was so focused on her task that she forgot to pay attention to anything else and before she knew it, Pitch had slammed into the Snow Queen and Nightlight into Katherine. Literally __**IN**__ to them. _

_ The moment this had been done, Nicolette froze time completely, her eyes as wide as the moon as a strange feeling tickled through her. She believed it was dread. This was not a part of the plan. This wasn't supposed to happen._

_She looked around at her companions. All their faces were twisted with grief, despair, shock, and fear. Even Bunnymund, who she had rarely seen emotion on, seemed filled with it. Nicolette didn't understand those feelings, but she knew didn't like to see them on their faces. And she didn't like the fact that she was the one who put those feelings there._

_She turned her gaze back to Katherine and the Snow Queen, both of whom were unconscious in a troubled sleep._

"_Just for the record, this is what it means to 'screwed up,'" Her Counterpart said from behind her, his copper gear eyes piercing. "And you really did it royally this time, Nicolette."_

_And he was right._

*8*

In the present Nicolette had started pacing again.

"It was unexpected to say the least. I did not think that with their history, the Snow Queen would protect Katherine, but then I should have known that even frozen hearts can change as Katherine had explained the concept to me when I asked why she always spared Pitch." She stated. "Getting back on track; after the sealment, I froze time and assessed the situation as best I could; Pitch was sealed inside the Snow Queen, and Nightlight was sealed inside Katherine with the key."

"Wait, wait!" Jack interrupted, his head pounding as it spun with confusion at all the new information. "What you mean Pitch was _sealed_? News flash, Pitch is _still here_. I know. I fought him just a few hours ago." Sandy tugged his sweatshirt and shook his head. Then images of Pitch spitting appeared to make two. "What? That was a clone?"

"A shadow." Bunnymund explained. "A shadow of what was. Not as dangerous as the original, but still pretty dangerous as you know well enough. We thought he was something that was left after we defeated the original Pitch, but I guess we were wrong. On a lot of things." Nicolette paced faster. "Oi! Stop ticking. You're wearing a hole in the floor." Indeed she was, for in the spot she paced was a foot deep trench.

"My apologies." She said to Sandy, who waved it off. She hopped out of the hole, fighting the urge that made her want to tick as she continued.

"The shadow was pulled out by the fearlings when I sealed him. They wanted to use him to find the key and free the real Pitch. However, the Shadow… got his _own_ plan."

"His own plan?"

"Right. He gave up on finding the key and tried to take Pitch's role, however the Fearlings refused to listen as they could not control him."

"Wait, _what_?" Jack interrupted.

"They could not control him so they refused to follow him." Nicolette stated as if it was obvious. Seeing that Jack did not understand still, she tried to simplify it. "The fearlings follow Pitch because they can manipulate him into turning people into fearlings like them. Feed them you could say. The shadow didn't do that so they stopped following him, until now that is and that's only because they finally have the opportunity to get their true master back." Jack did a mock nod of understanding.

"Uh-huh. Alright and _Fearlings_ are…" Seeing that Nicolette was getting ready to rip off his head, Toothiana answered.

"Fearling are monsters. They bring chaos, madness; they destroy hopes, and dreams. Mainly of children." She explained.

"Uh-huh. So they're nightmares?"

"No." Nicolette interrupted. "They're _fear_. Nightmares are merely a single form of them. Fearlings are the very essence of fear and hate. Nightmares are made to teach lessons, Fearlings seek one thing; to corrupt everything and devour. They see into the very depths of your soul and use your weakness to bring you down. To turn you into one of them. They have no love, hope, wonder; all they have is anger and madness. Even reason seems to be beyond them."

"I… Okay, so those_ things_ I saw earlier. The ones with the horrible voices, they were Fearlings?"

Jack shivered as he remembered the fight from earlier. He thought there was something odd about them and a thousand times more threatening. His grip tightened on his staff as he focused sorely of the ground, his heart beating faster as he pressed his lips into a thin line. Just thinking about those horrible, horrible voices, made him scared. Not that he would ever admit it aloud.

Seeing this, Sandy offered a hand of comfort, but before he could "say" anything, North spoke.

"Since your plan failed, _why _didn't you tell us about it?" he asked. "We could have helped."

"Because Nicolas of Time informed me that this, all of it, was meant to happen. And before we are anything else, we are servants of time. As that was the reason we were made." North growled inwardly. He should have known that would come back to bite him eventually. "We then agreed that this was for the best, and since I could not kill the Snow Queen or Katherine, I entrusted Katherine to the flow of time and left the Queen for you all to find." Nicolette explained. "Then I returned and unfroze time and let you all come to your own conclusions as to what had happened." Jack noted that while she stood her ground against the guardians, she avoided the moon light as she spoke.

"**How?"** North asked, looking between Nightlight and Nicolette. "How could you all do that to us? How could you have let us think that they- _you_!" He turned to Nightlight. "Were _dead_? Do you know what that did to us? To _Ombric_. Ombric! Does _he_ know?" Nicolette hesitated but nodded.

"After… it happened, I told Man in Moon. He told me that he disapproved and that the plan… shouldn't have been done. That it was cruel." Jack was honestly surprised to see the guilt that appeared on her face and Nightlight's own guilt grew. "But it had been done. And I could not go back and change it, for it was as time wanted it. So we… **I** convinced Man in Moon not to tell you all. If you all knew the truth, you never would have stopped looking for Katherine and you would forget your duties to the rest of the children.

'Besides, I had turned her over to the flow of Time, so even if we wanted to, we couldn't find her and you all might rip it apart if you tried. He did say that Ombric at the very least had to know the truth. So I told him. After hours of conversing, we agreed to keep the secret to protect you all and look for Katherine in the time stream on our own." She clenched her fists behind her back as she stood as tall as she could, unwilling to let the heaviness inside her bring her pride down.

"I understand what I did was… _painful_ to you all. I won't make excuses as to why I did it and I won't ask for forgiveness as I do not deserve it. But I hope you will at least prepare for the upcoming disaster."

"Disaster?" Tooth frowned, wings flapping worriedly. "What disaster?" North decided to be the one to break the news to them this time.

"Apparently, in the coming New Year, Pitch returns." He said, earning a worried gasp from everyone in the room except for Jack, whose head was still spinning from all the new information.

"What?!"

"That can't be!" Tooth exclaimed.

"We have to stop it!" Nicolette fixed Bunnymund with a stern glare.

"Time _wishes_ him to be **freed**. Whatever the consequences, it is my job to serve time, _nothing else_." Bunnymund's fists tighten. He admitted that he had more than changed over the years, but he still knew the importance of time and how its' will must always be carried out, or the consequences were more than dire.

"But if that happens…" Tooth started. Sandy made a figure of a nuclear explosion.

"That's why I came here. To give you a little time to prepare for whatever comes." Nicolette said. Then under her breath she whispered, "Hopefully, it will be enough."

"Wait, wait!" Jack interrupting. Nicolette resisted the urge to role her eyes.

"What _now_?" he ignored her rude tone.

"Two things; if you went through so much to seal him, then _why_ are you letting him be released? And if you knew he was going to be released then why didn't you come earlier?"

"Because at the time we had to seal him. Now he has to be freed. Why? Because nothing lasts forever and it is time for change to come to the world. Why didn't I go back further to give you more 'time' to prepare? Because time won't allow me to interfere any further." She explained. "I am a 'Nick of Time.' I appear at the last possible moment."

"Well, time is just a bitch, isn't it?" Jack muttered, throwing his hands into the air as he turned away.

"You do not know the half of it. It's worse than fate." Nicolette said with a sigh. "Look, hate me all you want. You may even take me apart if you wish. But what will happen, **will **happen, no matter what you say, so I suggest you use the time gifted to you to prepare best you can. You're going to need it."

Everyone went silent at that, letting everything that had been said sink in, which was difficult, especially if you added the emotional impact.

Finally North spoke;

"Well, I don't know about 'taking you apart,'" he muttered. "But I will think about installing a _moral_ compass later." He walked over to Nightlight who stared up at him with wide, remorseful eyes. For a chilling few seconds, nether said anything, and then out of nowhere, he cuffed the boy hard across the face, making him stumble back. Then with a kinder expression he bent down and embraced him as one would their child.

"You stupid boy." He whispered, a few tears escaping his eyes. Nightlight was in shock for a moment, but then returned the embrace crying slightly as well. He caught the tears as they fell for he knew the power they held. They were soon joined by everybody, but Jack who, while he felt a little out of place and lonely, smiled at the scene, and Nicolette, who watched them without saying a word.

*8*

After a while they finally pulled away. They had to get down to business.

"What now?" Tooth asked. Bunnymund walked over to a window and stared out it at the sleeping form of Katherine. It was still so hard for him to believe that the little girl he had met so long ago was now a young woman. Even so, she seemed so fragile.

"….Before we do anything," he said. "We should probably find Katherine's new home and leave her there for now."

"What?!" North stepped forward, looking as if Bunnymund had told him to throw her off a cliff. "We spent years thinking she was dead! And now she's here-!"

"And she doesn't remember us." Bunnymund interrupted the bitterness and sorrow clear in his tone. "She can't even see us."

Everyone went quiet and Jack could feel his heart break with each face he looked to, except Nicolette whose face was like stone.

Jack hated to see his friends like this. He hated to see them in such pain. He wanted to say something, anything to make them forget their troubles and make them laugh, but years of living told him that this wasn't the time. So he shuffled back against the wall and kept quiet, entertaining himself by watching the little seashells running around.

"Look, I know how ya feel, North. We all do. But, we need to be logical now." Bunnymund continued, his personality returning to the way it was years ago. "Pitch's shadow has the fearlings on his side now and is going to looking for a way to find his body. We have to prevent that. And it's going to be hard enough to do all that and watch over Katherine without trying to convince her we are real."

"But if we just return her home, Pitch may kidnap her and try to use her against us." Toothiana pointed out.

"And if we take her to one our places, she may have a mental break down." Bunnymund stated.

"Or it could convince her that we are real!" North said. "And maybe she'll be able to see us again."

"Do we _really_ want that right **now**?" North frowned in confusion, so Bunnymund continued. "If Katherine remembers us, she'll want to _fight_ with us. I don't know about you, but I don't wanna risk that. I _can't _risk losin' her. Not again." North looked away, his fists tightening until they were white. It wasn't fair. Katherine was so close, yet she had never been further. Bunny continued on.

"One of us will go with Katherine and guard her while the rest of us take care of Pitch. Once everything is settled, we'll work on getting Katherine to see us again."

"You can use her teeth!" Jack said helpfully. Then his face fell at the sight of Tooth's face. "…Right?" Tooth shook her head.

"Pitch, the real Pitch, destroyed her teeth long ago." She explained. "After stealing the memories inside them so she could never remember her parents." Jack looked away. That was just horrible.

He looked away when he noticed something;

"Hey, where did Miss Stone face go?"

_***~End of Chapter~***_

Not a good sign if the writer is slightly confused by everything. O.o Well, I hoped I explained what needed to be explained. Let me know whether or not I kept everyone in character. If I didn't, please explain why and I'll do my best to fix it.


	9. note

Hi, this is a note to all my readers;

I'm going to have to take a break for a bit. I just have too much on my plate with college, debts, and the other joys of adulthood. So now, I need to get my life in order.

I want one thing to be clear though; I WILL be finishing this story. I just need time to write out all the chapters and such after I get my life on track. I also want to rewrite a few things and fix a few grammar problems. So, expect a few changes for this story when it's reposted.

I apologize for the inconvenience and hope you understand.


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